(Yirol East) – Authorities in Lakes State are still searching for 41 passengers who disappeared after an armed attack on a boat along the River Nile in Yirol East County last Friday. The vessel which was travelling towards Juba came under gunfire near the Wangthok checkpoint. Local officials and humanitarian sources say it remains unclear whether the missing individuals were killed or abducted.
The incident has laid bare the growing insecurity in parts of South Sudan, even as the country continues to deal with economic hardship and a refugee crisis fuelled by the ongoing war in neighbouring Sudan.
The boat attack comes amid reports of rising community violence. At least five people were killed and 15 others wounded in intercommunal clashes in Lakes State over the weekend, reportedly triggered by ceremonial gunfire that escalated into conflict.
The European External Programme with Africa (EEPA), which monitors developments across the Horn of Africa, also reported a deepening poverty crisis in South Sudan. A new study by the African Development Bank shows that 92% of the population now lives in poverty, up from 84% in 2023. This means nearly every South Sudanese citizen now struggles to meet daily needs. With the South Sudanese Pound losing value—currently at around 7,000 SSP to $1 on the parallel market (compared to the official rate of 4,650 SSP to $1)—the cost of living has soared.
The worsening poverty situation is taking place as South Sudan receives increasing numbers of refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. An African Union (AU) delegation that concluded a humanitarian assessment mission in the country last week raised concerns over the lack of funding to support the refugee influx. The AU urged donors to provide immediate financial support to help South Sudan accommodate the new arrivals.
Meanwhile, across the region, violence and humanitarian crises continue to spread. In neighbouring Sudan, at least 50 miners died after the collapse of a gold mine in River Nile State. The accident was blamed on unsafe and unregulated mining practices. Elsewhere, the Sudanese Armed Forces said it had retaken control of a key road between Kadugli and Dilling from the SPLM-North rebels in West Kordofan. The army also agreed to a United Nations proposal for a seven-day ceasefire in El Fasher, North Darfur, aimed at allowing humanitarian aid delivery. However, the Rapid Support Forces said they had not yet received a formal request for the ceasefire.
In Ethiopia, tensions remain high following the death of a humanitarian worker in Amhara during crossfire between government forces and armed groups. The worker was reportedly gathering humanitarian data when she was shot. In addition, disturbing reports continue to emerge about sexual violence against Tigrayan women during the conflict, including accounts of deliberate harm to reproductive organs.
Other parts of the Horn of Africa are also facing growing unrest. In Kenya, protests on 25 June turned deadly, with at least 19 people reported killed, mostly by police, and over 500 injured. Amnesty International criticised the police for using live bullets against demonstrators. In Somalia, U.S.-trained Danab Special Forces launched operations against Al-Shabaab in Jubaland, while the government announced a new $800 million international airport project in Middle Shabelle.
The regional and international humanitarian response is also under strain. The World Food Programme has warned that resources to support Sudanese refugees in the Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Libya are running dangerously low. Without new funding, aid operations could be forced to stop by August, putting millions at risk.
UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russel, voiced these warnings after visiting Chad, where many Sudanese child refugees now live in difficult conditions. She stressed that thousands of children urgently need food, protection, and education.
The situation in and around South Sudan remains fragile, with violence, poverty and displacement creating urgent humanitarian needs.
